Grassroots Women and Decentralised Governance Change Through Partnership

Grassroots Women and Decentralised Governance Change through Partnership

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Citation: The Huairou Commission. 2010. Grassroots Women and Decentralized Governance: Change Through Partnership, New York, USA. The Huairou Commission.

Cover design by: Sudha Menon, Bangalore, India. Website: www.sudhamenon.com

The views expressed in this publication do not necessarily reflect those of the Huairou Commission.

Available from: The Huairou Commission

Huairou Commission 249 Manhattan Ave. Brooklyn, NY 11211 USA Telephone: + 1 718 388 8915/6761 Fax: + 1 718 388 0285

Website: www.huairou.org Email: [email protected] Grassroots Women and Decentralised Governance Change through Partnership ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

his is to acknowledge the contributions of all those who have helped shape our thinking on decentralization and Tlocal government from grassroots women's perspectives. This publication would not have been possible without the support of UNDP. Most importantly, we would like to thank the authors of the articles. We acknowledge the work of Suranjana Gupta and Rut Kolinsky for their insightful perspectives on partnerships with local government formed by the Czech Mother Centers. Esther Mwaura-Muiru, Violet Shivutse, and Hellen Kimiri have conceptualised and implemented various grassroots' women strategies on HIV/AIDS in partnership with local governments. Through their work, it can be seen how incorporating these strategies made devolved funding mechanisms more effective. Prema Gopalan, Naseem Shaikh and Elizaveta Bozhkova have provided invaluable contributions in contextualizing decentralization vis-a-vis grassroots development and the participation of women's groups. Insights of Carmen Robles Arana, Carmen Sanchez, Ana Paúcar, Lucy Mejía, Aida Reynaga have shown how networking and partnerships with local government have paved the way to effective governance. We would like to thank Sudha Menon whose creativity behind this publication provided the stunning visual effects and for her incredible patience on including all our feedback at very short notice. We would like to thank Natasha for going over the final proof of this document with her usual meticulous eye. Finally, we would like to acknowledge Jan Peterson for the original concept behind this publication. TABLE OF CONTENTS

1. Introduction Sangeetha Purushothaman and Sanjeev Pillay 1

2. The Role of Organized Grassroots Groups in Influencing Women to Access Public Services The work of GROOTS, Kenya in the area of health and women's rights. Esther Mwaura-Muiru, Violet Shivutse and Hellen Kimiri 4

3. Decentralization through Women's Grassroots Organizations and Networking The case of Servicios Educativo El Augustino, Peru. Carmen Robles Arana, Carmen Sanchez, Ana Paúcar, Lucy Mejía, Aida Reynaga and Sarah Silliman 10

4. The Role of Grassroots Women in the Delivery of Public Services Swayam Shikshan Prayog's drive to increase demand and access to governance and health in Maharashtra, India. Prema Gopalan and Naseem Shaikh 16

5. A New Wave of Women's Movements in the Czech Republic A glimpse into the working of Mother Centers. Suranjana Gupta and Rut Kolinsky 22

6. Women's Grassroots Initiatives for Good Governance in Russian Cities A look into the working of Information Center for the Independent Women's Forum in Petrozavodsk and Putchino. Elizaveta Bozkhova 29

7. Conclusions on Decentralized Local Governance Sangeetha Purushothaman and Sanjeev Pillay 35

8. References 40

9. Glossary 41 INTRODUCTION

“ ocal government is an integral part of the national Introduction structures of governance and the level of government closest to the citizens. Therefore, it is in the best Sangeetha Purushothaman L position both to involve women in the making of decisions and Sanjeev Pillay concerning their living conditions and to make use of their knowledge and capabilities in the promotion of sustainable development.” - United Cities and Local Governments (UCLG), (1998) The decentralization of power and decision making processes from national and state to local bodies has become a major trend globally. Decentralization, being a process that puts in place a structural arrangement for facilitating shared exercise of power among central government, local governments, and local communities, is a wide and complex field allowing for community participation in governance and development. (Kauzya, 2005, p.15). Centralized decision-making at national or state levels has been proven time and again to be unsuitable to local conditions. The “one size fits all” policy mechanisms have given way to the understanding that policies need to be tailored to the needs of local communities and should reflect the diversity embedded in these communities and

1 the conditions faced by them. Local government is “Decentralization is commonly regarded as that arm of the government that lies closest to a process through which powers, functions, communities and decentralization of power and responsibilities and resources are resources, thus has the potential of increasing the transferred from central to local community's access to the resources. governments… as a way to promote The grassroots initiatives from five different broader values of pluralistic participatory countries provide insights into the participation of democracy.” local communities in decentralized decision making UNESCO (2006) and local governance. The active involvement of grassroots women in local governance, in turn, importance of partnerships and networking with local government and international grassroots organizations for addressing problems faced by working mothers in a patriarchal post-Communist society. Similarly, in Russia, the Information Center for the Independent Women's Forum (ICIWF) works closely with local women in several cities including Petrozavodsk and Putchino, establishing neighborhood groups to influence city policies to improve infrastructure of neighborhoods. GROOTS Kenya works with networks of neighborhood groups on monitoring public services and ensuring better reach for marginalized groups, particularly HIV infected populations and builds ownership over local development as well as their families. Similarly, Swayam Shikshan Prayog the leadership capacities of women. The examples (SSP) in India monitors public services around below cover grassroots women's initiatives from issues of health, water and sanitation through the the Czech Republic, India, Kenya, Peru and Russia. formation of Health Governance Groups, ensuring Grassroots activities are diverse yet relevant to the poor have access to health insurance and grassroots movements all over the world. health camps. Servicios Educativo El Augustino (SEA) advocates The afore-mentioned organizations are part of the for effective functioning of the decentralization Huairou Commission (HC), a global coalition of process in Peru, enabling women and the networks, non-governmental and grassroots marginalized communities to engage in organizations, institutions and individual participatory planning and local governance, professionals that link grassroots women's through mechanisms such as the Participatory community development organizations to partners Budget, and the Coalition of Local Councils. The for information sharing, access to resources and Mother Centers in the Czech Republic show the political spaces. Established in 1995 at the 4th

2 INTRODUCTION

World Conference on Women in Beijing, the Huairou Commission members focus on network building, knowledge sharing, and advocacy activities associated with: ! Sustaining grassroots women's leadership in ! Local development can be made most effective redeveloping families, homes, communities, and and relevant to local needs when there are economies in crisis situations (disaster, post- active partnerships between local government conflict, and HIV/ AIDS); and mobilized communities. ! Local governance and asset-securing approaches ! The magnitude of problems caused by poverty that anchor grassroots women's participation; cannot be solved unilaterally, by any one partner. ! Collaborative partnerships that strengthen and The partnerships, when principled and equal, can upscale grassroots local knowledge and advance empower both communities and local alternative development policies. government to act effectively, through a pooling Through campaigns on governance, community of human, technical and financial resources. resilience, HIV/AIDS, and land and housing, the ! Decentralization of power, decision making and Huairou Commission aims to highlight the resources has strong potential for grassroots participation of grassroots women's groups in local communities to access resources and services planning, implementation, and evaluation as a and hold governments accountable unlike prerequisite for effective poverty reduction and centralized structures. decentralization. Grassroots women's initiatives described below illustrate how community based efforts have influenced and shaped local development, from a grassroots women's perspective. While the responsibility for local development lies with every stakeholder, its success lies in building ownership among all of them. These illustrations from the five different countries clearly point out the significant role that citizens play in decentralized governance through collective action, active participation in decision making and service delivery, alongside, and in partnership with, local government bodies. While each initiative has distinct features globally there are common trends that provide insights into local development and governance including:

3 Kenya

Introduction n Kenya, grassroots women have established innovative approaches to ensure implementation of a number of The Role of Iaffirmative actions as part of the larger ongoing decentralization process. GROOTS Kenya (GK), a network linking thousands of women's self help groups and community Organized organizations in nine Kenyan provinces, was founded in 1995 as a response to the low visibility of grassroots women in Grassroots development and decision-making forums on issues that directly impact them. Groups in Kenya has a long history of formal cooperative movements involving small farmers. In recent times, grassroots Influencing organizations, especially women's organizations, have emerged in rural and urban Kenya. These organizations undertake many activities that include income generation, asset building, Women to commodity marketing, home-based care for people affected by HIV/AIDS, governance, human rights campaigns and advocacy. Access Public Historically, access to and control over public services has been dominated by men in African communities. Women have built Services a strong grassroots platform over the years to lobby for delivery and access to public services. However, retrogressive cultural practices and poor governance in the public sector The work of have stifled grassroots women's voices and hindered their access to formal education, health care, property ownership GROOTS, Kenya in and inheritance rights. The greatest threats to the public service access for these women's organizations come from the area of health factors such as corruption, poverty, high community expectations, ignorance and illiteracy. and women's rights Esther Mwaura-Muiru, Violet Shivutse and Hellen Kimiri

The Home Based Care Alliance in Gatundu after a training workshop on gender based violence

4 Kenya

Engagement with Local Government community members since 1999 and have led the process of federating care-giving groups to form the As HIV/AIDS emerged as an endemic in the 1990s, Home-Based Care Alliance in Kenya's Western major international agencies funded sub-Saharan African Province. The idea of forming an alliance of home- governments to establish National AIDS Authorities that based caregivers emerged during the 2003 International would be responsible for developing national AIDS Conference on AIDS and Sexually Transmitted policies, building partnerships and mobilizing resources. Infections held in Nairobi, Kenya. Here, the home- To ensure that resources and decision-making power based caregivers shared their experiences and asked went into the hands of communities, these AIDS donors to channel resources directly to grassroots authorities were established along decentralized lines. organizations. Representatives of the Global Fund for The Kenyan National AIDS Control Council (NACC) is AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria in the conference responsible for the implementation of the Kenya National Strategic AIDS Plan through its decentralized bodies the District and Provincial AIDS Control Committees. The Constituency AIDS Control Committees (CACCs) are community level implementers as well as grant-making bodies, authorized to fund community-driven responses to AIDS. Multiple stakeholders, including those representing community priorities, were involved in defining national AIDS policy to properly reflect community needs. However, it was found that both resources and services often did not reach communities. Several women's organizations formed spontaneously due to the communities' plight, which took responsibility to care for orphans and vulnerable children, raise awareness and offer home based care for claimed that it was impossible to locate grassroots the infected and affected. Women's groups were groups, which they characterized as marginal, small- recreating social networks to support and care for the scale and working in isolation. To counter these sick and growing numbers of children orphaned by perceptions and raise the visibility of home-based AIDS. These women leaders not only played care-giver caregivers' responses, in 2005, GROOTS Kenya roles but also trained communities on health issues, launched the Kenyan Home-Based Care Alliance with legal rights and health services. For grassroots women three clear objectives: build home-based caregivers' living and coping with HIV/AIDS, this is not simply a capacities through peer learning; serve as a platform for health issue, but impacts on all aspects of daily life collective livelihoods; and shift resources and decision- including access to basic services, livelihoods, food making into the hands of grassroots women who were security and governance. Through home-based care, responsible for fighting AIDS in their communities. grassroots women are creating a holistic, women-led, community driven response to HIV/AIDS. The Alliance provides an eye into the community, collecting statistics and information on vulnerabilities as Fighting HIV and AIDS as an Alliance well as tracking and overseeing indigenous responses The Shibuye1 Community Health Workers, members of organized by caregivers. Using data gathered during the GROOTS Kenya, have provided care for HIV-positive

1 Shibuye is a location (an administrative unit similar to a town) within Shinyalu division of the Kakamega District.

5 Creating awareness during a national meeting

inheritance issues of widows and orphans, domestic violence and home based care of those marginalized communities who are outside the reach of public services. In a more formal process, the Shibuye Community Health Workers conducted Local-to-Local Dialogues, a platform for public dialogues between grassroots The Home Based Care Alliance caregivers and local leaders to share caregivers' perspectives, to discuss challenges within the In Shibuye, the Home Based Care Alliance was community and develop collaborative solutions. Before organized through an action research and these dialogues, the Alliance consulted the community mapping process to build relationships and to to identify major issues faced by them and also educate collect and compile local data on existing care- them on the National AIDS Control Council (NACC) giving groups in regions where members are Strategic Plan. For the community, the main issue was located. Through the mapping process, that the CACC was an inaccessible, non-transparent grassroots leaders mobilized 17 new groups entity whose programs were not sustainable. To change (1,812 caregivers) to join the Alliance and found this, the group approached CACC officers, the out that by federating the group, collectively Provincial Administrators, Kakamega district officers and they provided care for 2,276 people living with local chiefs. In the meeting, the community HIV and AIDS, 6,000 orphans, 2,000 widows and demonstrated their knowledge of the NACC Strategic 4,000 other needy people (GROOTS Kenya, Plan. They expressed a willingness to track resources 2006). The mapping process enabled the available, identify existing groups in the area, and look at Shibuye community to clearly articulate to local existing coordinating structures of the CACC. authorities and other stakeholders the issues for Consequently, the Alliance was recognized as integral to the management of HIV/AIDS and impact on the the process of information dissemination and planning. community such as the unavailability of necessary drugs at the local dispensary and the lack of Impact on Service Delivery resources to support weak patients who are not able to take care of their daily needs like food The relationship between organized home-based and decent shelter. The home based care givers caregivers and the government is now collaborative had to fill these gaps by bringing together the instead of operating autonomously without knowledge contributions of their collective as external of each other's work. Through the Shibuye community funding was difficult to access. leadership, the Kakamega District Home-Based Care Alliance now has official partnership status with the Shinyalu division CACC Office. The formal partnership mapping process, the Shibuye Community Health between the Alliance and Kakamega District office gives Workers began engaging the community and local the group authority to intervene officially on issues such leaders both formally and informally. Informally, they as domestic violence, and land and property disputes. regularly arranged face-to-face meetings with local The District Officer, in particular, sees this as a strategic chiefs and CACC Officers to share information on partnership simplifying the government's work and

6 Kenya

have influenced the staffing and stocking of medicines at The Local to Local Dialogues local dispensaries. They have improved access to local Originally piloted in 2002 by six Huairou officials by facilitating fora where district agriculture Commission members, including GROOTS extension offices and government officials in other Kenya, Local to Local Dialogues are locally departments educate the public on government policies designed strategies whereby grassroots women's and resources. Thus, the community is empowered to groups initiate and engage in ongoing dialogues take issues affecting them to the relevant government with local authorities to negotiate a range of officers without fear of reprisal. development issues to influence policies, plans and programs in ways that address women's priorities. Dialogues are convened by grassroots women and used to change the terms of negotiation between communities and their local authorities. For further information, read “Local to Local Dialogue: A Grassroots Women's Perspective on Good Governance” at http://www.huairou.org/knowledge/resource.html

enabling chiefs and sub-chiefs to work hand-in-hand with local communities to address community problems. For the Alliance, this partnership ensures them a voice within the District decision-making structures which enables them to access resources and Strategies protect their rights. As a result of their work, several cases of land grabbing and illegal land sales have been GROOTS Kenya and its sister organizations adopt prevented, and several cases of child and wife abuse strategies that broadly encompass the development of have been redressed. partnerships with local government, building capacities of local organizations through awareness raising on The Kakamega District Home-Based Care Alliance has disinheritance and women's rights, and liaisoning with directly and successfully dealt with many of the government to access entitlements. These include: common challenges of decentralization. Caregivers have been able to fill the gap between established ! Mobilization of communities in the form of watch dog administrative structures and the communities. This has groups and the home based care alliance which brings increased transparency, accountability and the flow of together care providers, local government and information between communities and officials. In development agent officials to better respond to Kakamega, the groups are undertaking an intensive community needs and reduce corruption. campaign for registration of births and death. The aim ! Capacity building of Provincial Administrators, is to ensure that children and women have legal Constituency AIDS Control Committees, elders, documentation for easy identification for future police and church leaders to engage with inheritance claims. They have convinced the communities through community watch dog groups. notoriously “rigid” Department of Registrar of Persons ! to send their professional staff to the communities to Building partnerships through the home-based care provide registration services at minimal or no cost. alliance by the Kakamega community with public They are able to track previously non transparent service providers, NGOs and home based care CACC funds. In Gatundu district for example, they workers. A parallel strategy to build partnerships was the Local to Local dialogues organized by the Kahawa

7 Youth care givers during first aid training

! Providing access to services that allow for direct investigation and determining cases of disinheritance and dispossession, in collaboration with local chiefs and persons of influence within that particular community. ! Financially supporting poor widows and orphaned Community Watchdog Groups girls through collective contributions toward resolving disinheritance cases. Community Watchdog Groups, a systematic, community-based tool to safeguard the land and Challenges to Women's Access to Public property rights of women, orphans and Services vulnerable children, were formed in 2005 to link In most cases, grassroots organizations offer their community members and vulnerable local leaders services for free or subsidized rates to support with the power to intervene. Each Watchdog government to address basic needs of the communities. Group includes a Provincial Authority, community The situation is made worse by the fact that elders, community-based paralegals (trained by government resources are not channeled through national or local legal organizations), police, grassroots organizations since they are not officially church leaders and concerned individuals (both recognized as part of the government's mainstream men and women) who have combined their will, implementation infrastructure. Also, the relation expertise and time to deal with property between grassroots women delivering actual services or grabbing of women and orphans. Watchdog influencing the delivery systems and their government Groups, replicated in 20 communities, provide officials is highly dependent on good will. Once new institutional and participatory protection to elections and transfers takes place, women have to start prevent evictions and property-grabbing, monitor all over again and struggle to be listened to and and report on cases of property dispossession, recognized as stakeholders by new officers. and represent an advocacy platform for grassroots women to access governance Lessons Learnt on Decentralization and institutions and influence legal structures. Grassroots Organizing

Soweto community to ensure women leaders get into Despite the attempts of decentralization to devolve decision making committees, monitor funds and play funds to the local level and create structures for a management role in service provision. community access, in reality these mechanisms were not accessible to poor communities. By conducting a Other strategies around service delivery include: survey on decentralization, GROOTS Kenya was able to ! Providing information (through radio listening groups, identify gaps in service delivery and the solutions to community dialogues, forums and workshops) for close these gaps. Principles of good governance at the disinherited women and children concerning legal local levels were repeatedly stated by respondents as documentation, legal rights and appropriate channels the key ingredients for long-term success for women to for intervention through paralegal support. access public services. Others are, training of more

8 Kenya

women to organize effectively, education of girls beyond primary school level, unequal representation of women in public institutions and organizations. In addition, majority of women are ignorant of their rights to demand and access public services and their ability to break away from retrogressive cultures. By making communities aware of resources available and the governance mechanisms to access these resources, communities then began to track and monitor them. Through the intervention of the Alliance in Kakamega, an increasing amount of public funds now

Youth caregivers group photo during a strenghtening and cohesion session

“So many people knew that the CACC was ineffective, but they had no way to address the issues. So we thought if we could find a way to mobilize the community to come together and discuss together, it would be a good idea. Now, the CACC members recognize us as knowledgeable people,” - Violet Shivuse, Founder of the Kakamega District Home-Based Care Alliance.

should formally play in decentralized systems that result in women's empowerment. Members during a consultation meeting The state must formally recognize the important role directly reaches the community, rather than being grassroots groups are currently playing in service diverted to a select few or being mismanaged by delivery. Advocacy on decentralization policies should unscrupulous officials. Caregivers continue to educate disaggregate resources and programs vis-à-vis all actors local authorities on community needs and means of and support their roles. Poor communities cannot improving the effectiveness of their programs. In continue to subsidize government in delivering basic addition to forming direct links between the community services. Investment needs to be directed to organized and the local administration, caregivers are also at the grassroots groups to support community led innovative forefront of bringing recognition to grassroots women strategies. Further, exchange programs among different as key stakeholders in AIDS responses. communities can help concrete and effective strategies to be replicated and scaled up. It is evident that grassroots women, despite being mired in poverty can create spontaneous, sustainable, effective infrastructure for the state and donors to deliver services particularly to poor communities. It is important to commission community led research to further understand the role that grassroots groups

9 Peru

ecentralization laws aim to redistribute political power by strengthening local and regional Decentralization D governments and to establish new relationships between state and civil society by promoting local governance. through For these laws to be effective and for citizen participation to be enhanced, conditions must be created that strengthen their Women's participation and that of social organizations in decentralization processes. In the case of Peru, decentralization has created Grassroots opportunities to increase women's engagement, particularly in the written laws that include citizen protection and mandates organizations for participation. However, women are still challenged to realize these opportunities in practice. and Networking The case of Servicios Educativo El Augustino (SEA) and the communities of El Agustino and Quinta Francia provide The case of Servicios examples of how women's organizing and networking can Educativo El ensure that decentralization processes work to deliver good quality basic services to communities, increase women's Augustino, Peru political participation and enable citizens to monitor Carmen Robles Arana, government progress. Carmen Sanchez, Ana Paúcar, Lucy Mejía, Aida Reynaga and Sarah Silliman

The Network of Women's Organizations El Agustino, taking part in the march on the International Day of Non-Violence Against Women, November 25, 2009

10 Peru

Background and Context of Decentralization in Peru Decentralization laws in Peru are designed to provide conditions to improve well-being of women, youth and children without any discrimination of class, gender, generation or race. For example, the Law on Equal Opportunities contains the objective "to ensure women and men exercise their rights to equality, dignity, self- development and self-wellness, preventing discrimination in all spheres of life, public and private, which have not achieved adequate dissemination and implementation strategies at national, regional and local A workshop organized by The Network of Women's Organizations, El Agustino, with the local authorities of Lima East on women’s issues and rights levels.” In addition, Peruvian decentralization laws include implementation of decentralization processes, a mandates on citizen participation in which "regional and proposal was made to consolidate the regional local governments are obliged to promote citizen departments into eight units. Consultations with the participation in the formulation, discussion and population were required to confirm the consolidation conclusion of their development plans, budgets, and of departments. These consultations resulted in the public governance.” To implement this, they must creation of participatory mechanisms for decision- “ensure access to public information, and the making at the departmental levels. For example, the establishment and operation of spaces and mechanisms participatory budget process has resulted in the for consultation, coordination, monitoring, evaluation creation of Community Coordination Councils, and accountability"1. comprised of regiadores, or local council members, and civil society representatives. The Coordination Council A framework has been created through municipal and 2 functions as an institutionalized decision-making space budgetary laws and plans which outline municipal and coordinated by civil society and local government. local mandates to implement these laws. The Organic While the Councils have established a precedent for 3 Law of Municipalities states that the major function of citizen participation, the power of those on the Council municipalities is to represent the neighborhood, ensure shifts according to the number and balance of council adequate provision of local public services and promote members to civil society representatives. concerted and sustained development in its jurisdiction. Mechanisms (participation, consultation and monitoring) Concerted Development Plans have been established at the national, regional and local All districts must create Development Plans to frame levels to implement these mandates. Among those are the district agenda which includes strategies and steps the Local and Regional Community Coordination Councils for implementation for each region. A participatory and Concerted Development Plans. planning process, which includes a participatory Regional Community Coordination Councils budgeting process, has been established to create these Development Plans. These processes provide a greater Decentralization laws are implemented through 24 opportunity for women to influence and design regional regional government departments. To increase efficient plans in contrast to previous methods of consultations

1 Article 17.1, Ley de bases de la decentralizacion N.27783 (Peruvian Decentralization Law N.27783), 2002. 2 These laws include: Organic Law of Regions, Law No. 27867; Code of the Decentralization Law No. 27783; Organic Law of Municipalities Law No. 27972; Participatory Budget Framework Law No. 28056; The National Accord (eighth line); Equal Opportunities Plan 2007-2010 3 Created in 2002, the Law of Organic Municipalities is a set of national laws that apply to each level of government including the state, regional and municipal governments. The Laws were developed through consultative processes with associations of municipalities and a variety of civil society organizations representing different regions of the country. The laws had originally been implemented through 24 departments, or macro-regions. This political and geographical structure had made implementation hard, so the current focus in on reorganizing into 8 simple regions or departments.

11 and presentation of ordinances, which were traditionally dominated by local government or private sector. Networking for Stronger Political Influence in the District of El Agustino El Agustino, in Lima Este district, hosts several The Network of Women's Organizations, El Agustino at a workshop on the district planning agenda in Lima Este. grassroots organizations and networks. The networks have expanded their participation in and monitoring of !society organizations. SEA provides training to those local management processes through the involved in information management and tools to decentralization mechanisms outlined above. The facilitate effective participation. SEA also advises the district consultation process now includes diverse Committees of Supervision of Participatory Budgeting constituents including women, youth, local government, whose task is to monitor compliance with agreements grassroots organizations and NGOs. This is an and to inform the public of its findings and outcome of the willingness of political actors and the recommendations. Since 2006, participatory effective engagement of social organizations. Civil budgeting has been included under the local society was able to effectively hold governments government's Women Entrepreneurs Project to accountable to written decentralization laws, making support economic initiatives for women. the ideas of such documents a reality using the following ! Local Coordinating Council (LCC): There has been a strategies and mechanisms: widening public participation in the LCC. In ! Signing of Governance Agreements: Candidates and accordance with the law, El Agustino has a quota for community-based civil society organizations, like the five civil society representatives, a minority within the El Agustino group, sign agreements before the Council which also includes local authorities and election to honor the Local Agenda already prioritized private sector representatives. The current municipal in previous district and zonal events. After elections, administration has expanded that number to 14, so the process depends on the political will of the local that different segments of the population are management to uphold the agreements. Through represented: women, youth, children, and monitoring and surveillance from an organized neighborhood organizations. Grassroots working group, with advice from Educational Services organizations of women (self-managed canteens, El Agustino (SEA), the district municipality has also mother clubs and committees, Vaso de Leche) have conducted public hearings on accountability. three seats. ! Developing the Concerted Development Plan (2004): Grassroots organizations like CONOMOVIDI, Vaso de This plan was developed using a participatory political Leche, and a micro-business network are currently and technical process with the support of a group of functioning in the Local Coordinating Council of El institutions (SEA, CENCO and OSCAR Peru). Agustino along with some youth organizations. The law People's participation was ensured through zonal and is well written but in practice there are fluctuations and, district workshops. Based on the results of this often, limited participation. SEA's role is therefore to process, the district formulated its development ensure that civil society is capacitated to actively vision, strategic objectives and created priority participate. projects for the ten year period 2004-2014. With the women's organizations and networks in the ! Participatory Budgets: In budgets formulated every five districts that SEA works, relationships between year, greater participation is sought from residents. groups and local authorities have improved. They are Community based organizations have increased their now being invited to ceremonies, to coordinate the capacity to make proposals and amendments to the reforestation program, and are working together with budgets through support and interventions from civil the regiadores, or local council representatives, who are

12 visiting the lands. Engagement at the local level, hosting of the Grassroots Women's Academy4, and partnerships with GROOTS International and the Huairou Commission have increased the legitimacy, visibility and recognition of grassroots women's organizations and NGOs in the region.

Increasing Access to Safe Water in the Community of Quinta Francia In cities, lack of basic services including water, health, recreation and education affects the integrity, security Members of the Network of Women's Organizations of El Agustino at Jornada, and ability of all, especially women, to fully exercise working on the five year strategic plan in 2009 their rights. A 2006 Peruvian study conducted in eight locations found that 87 percent of the population faced. Each group presented their management consumes water unfit for human consumption. This is strategies, which had worked and had not, so that the also true of the Housing Association Quinta Francia new committees starting their management process which started in 1945. There are no legal title deeds for could explore other alternatives. These meetings and private ownership of land and hence water is supplied exchanges brought the Human Right to Water from El by delivery vehicles which lack the necessary equipment Agustino and the Network for the Defense of Water for water purification, resulting in a series of social, and Life in the East Area of Lima together as a Network economic and environmental problems within the for increased negotiating powers, improved community. management and better proposals. In the district of El Agustino, despite the length of time The committees underwent training for monitoring that the community of Quinta Francia has existed, a water quality supplied by water vehicles; proper significant amount of residents lack access to safe delivery and storage in homes until supply services are drinking water. From the community count: a total of regularized. Committees were advised to monitor the 1,326 sections within the community, and over 7,956 quality of water through campaigns. To ensure the issue residents lack access to safe water. Of these, 959 was included on local agenda, the committees organized sections are supplied by pilones, or water trucks, 66 by forums, seminars, and marches on the right to water artificial lakes and 301 by water vehicles, and almost all involving local authorities, public and private institutions. of them have sanitation problems that violate the legal This increased the visibility and legitimacy of the norms and affects quality of life. committees and the Network's proposals. Finally, the SEA designed a strategy for women in Lima Este to committees conducted working meetings and met with press for improvement and accessibility of basic services the Network, local government, the health sector and to the community. First, a water committee was SEDAPAL (Company for Water and Sewage of Lima) to organized which comprised mostly of women since establish a common agreement on water supply. they were most severely affected by the lack of services As a result of mobilizing the community of Quinta and who had the most ideas on how to solve problems Francia, health and hygiene has improved due to better together. SEA conducted participatory training on water quality and pollution has decreased. In addition, treating water as a natural, but finite resource, as a monitoring committees are now coordinating with the human right, as a basic commodity that has high impact municipality, police and health centers to ensure water on community health and on water quality quality. After protracted negotiations, titles for the management. The water committees of East Lima were families of Quinta Francia have yet to be awarded, invited to share experiences, successes and difficulties however the council has provided records of

13 Peru

Organizing Lima East, comprising a number of The Grassroots Women's district networks5, as a way of uniting and Academy4 networking women's social organizations to influence local and national authorities on The Grassroots Women's Academy in 2007 demands leading to improved living conditions developed a number of proposals in response of their communities. The Network's to problems and experiences shared among responsibilities are to raise awareness about the women's organizations in Lima. Proposals, that situation of women, promote gender equity, are now part of districts agendas, were monitor the status of programs and monitor the identified through trainings and workshops implementation of the Law of the Plan for Equal Opportunities in the district of El Agustino. The Network also develops proposals and participates in different district, regional, national and international work to makes an impact on women's priorities. In the short time the Network has been working, they have advanced the capacity of the organization. Most importantly, the Network has identified women leaders and brought together different organizations with a commitment to work for a common agenda of health (TB, HIV/AIDS and SIS), political participation and capacity building. The Network has managed to review, identify and prioritize this agenda. However, some challenges still remain including intermittent meeting attendance due to economic priorities, lack of resources to develop all activities proposed even with the support of partner The mayor of El Agustino,Víctor Salcedo Ríos, with the Network of Women's institutions, restrictions on proposals that can Organisations at a public meeting in Lima Este. be presented to the Participatory Budgets. There remains a need to strengthen the which included development issues, discussion capacities of the leaders of the Network for on political, economic and social contexts at the better impacts. local and national levels and stakeholder analysis in the districts of Lima Este, El Agustino, Santa Anita, Chaclacayo and Ate Chosica. Using these proposals, SEA formed the Network of Women

4 Organized in partnership with GROOTS International and the Huairou Commission, several Peruvian women's organizations hosted women leaders across Latin America to discuss and debate issue affecting their lives and communities. A regional plan of action and several organizing processes were launched as a result. 5 The network consists of 17 organizations: Comedores Populares Autogestionarios, Clubes de Madres, Vaso de Leche, Central de Bancos Comunales El Agustino, Red de Prevencion de la Violencia Familiar PVF Corazones Solidarios, Red de PVF Uniendo Familias, Red de PVF CREJUSPA, Comites de Gestion Distrital, Seguridad Cudadana, WAWA WASI, CODEVIDA, Casa de la Mujer El Agustino, Coodinadora de Derechos Humanos, S. Gral de AH Ancieta Alta, S. Gral de AH Independiente, S. Gral de V Francia

14 Peru

ownership, which have been processed by SEDAPAL resulting in the granting of water services delivery to the community. The community successfully incorporated their on-going activities in the district Participatory Budget process which will allow them to sustain their A presentation of a workshop on the problems and achievements of The Network of work in this area. Women's Organizations, El Agustino

Conclusions on Decentralization holistically in planning for local development. Decentralization provides opportunities for Despite limitations, the process of decentralization in marginalized groups to voice their priorities to achieve Peru has provided grassroots women the opportunity better living conditions and access to basic services. to strengthen their knowledge and ability to influence However, centralist, authoritarian and parochial local decision-making processes, thereby ensuring more interests of local authorities impedes proper articulation democratic development and improving quality of life of of needs by citizens. In addition, local and regional the citizenry. As a result of organizing and gains made, governments have limited capacities. Accountability women now actively take part in the decisions of local and transparency in management remains low, and a management and contribute to policy proposals and persistent level of corruption continues at different projects that reflect their needs. In addition, women's levels of the government. These barriers limit the organizations have been able to demand greater ability of public agencies to address citizens' needs. This transparency and accountability in allocation of public was the context in which decentralization in Peru resources. Finally, women's groups act as local evolved. Starting with a legal framework that calls for government monitors, utilizing agreements made in participation and equal access, district administration participatory processes. has been empowered with implementing decentralization through engagement and inclusion of its For SEA, decentralization is a national policy constituency. Participatory mechanisms in Peru such as indispensible for the development of the country which the Concerted Plan, the Participatory Budget, and the helps bridge the yawning gap between the core and the Coalition of Local Councils have allowed women's periphery comprised of the vulnerable sections of the organizations to partner with local government in a new population. Decentralization can be strengthened way. As a result, community leadership has developed through effective monitoring mechanisms such as public and local government is more responsive to community participation law to ensure accountability of local needs, priorities and solutions. officials. While the government has made efforts to support The Network of women organizations in Peru strongly participation, civil society has a strong role to play in extols the process of decentralization for increasing the ensuring women's voices are heard. Each year, in the scope of women's participation in public affairs. participatory budget process, the Minister of Finance Decentralization has paved the way for women to play initiates a preparatory phase where the municipality a larger role in Local Coordinating Councils (LCCs) and conducts courses to educate citizens on the process of in vigilance and monitoring committees. Projects like formulating plans. To compliment these information Casa de la Mujer (Women's Home) have been pivotal in sessions, civil society organizations including NGOs and addressing women's issues like domestic violence and churches provide capacity-building programs to ensure the fair allocation of resources to women. The quality participation. SEA in Lima Este has developed problems of decentralization in Peru notwithstanding, various programs on citizen monitoring and facilitated the spirit of cooperation and joint efforts by both the skills for participation. In 2009, they developed a communities and the local government to engage in leadership training certificate program with the meaningful dialogue has unleashed a wave of multi- University of Antonio Luiz de Montoya to create an pronged collaborations ensuring the percolation of integrated approach for women to participate more powers through local governance.

15 India

Background ost families in poor rural Maharashtra spend approximately a fourth of their monthly incomes on The Role of Mheath care. They suffer from alarmingly high rates of disease that are mainly rooted in the lack of poor sanitation, inadequate diets and lack of health awareness. The government Grassroots has provided Primary Health Centers (PHC) that are designed to serve a population of 30,000 with one medical officer and two Women in the health assistants and Sub-centers with one female and one male multipurpose health worker for a population of 5,000. However, these centers are often poorly equipped and not visited by a Delivery of doctor for long stretches of time. There is a general mistrust of the Primary Health Centers (PHCs) among rural communities Public Services who prefer the more expensive private practitioners, who are not necessarily competent. Often, poor communities, particularly women, avoid seeking medical care altogether since these private Swayam Shikshan facilities are too costly. Swayam Shikshan Prayog (SSP) facilitated the formation of a Prayog's drive to working partnership between grassroots women, district level health officials and health service providers to ensure better increase demand and access to healthcare services for the poor. SSP is a learning and development organization based in Mumbai, India, whose goal is access to governance to move poor women and communities from the margin to the mainstream of development. Today, SSP's combined operations in and health in ten of the most disaster prone districts of Maharashtra, Gujarat and Tamil Nadu reach out to over 300,000 families. After the Maharashtra, India destructive earthquake of 1993 in Maharashtra, SSP mobilized grassroots women's groups, called Self Help Groups (SHGs), Prema Gopalan and around reconstruction and local governance issues. Ever since, Naseem Shaikh SSP has worked with these SHGs to build the capacities of women as grassroots advocates to engage with the government service providers and ensure accountability.

Health Monitors

16 India

From ‘Beneficiaries' to 'Partners' When the epidemic of Chickungunya spread in the Osmanabad district of Maharashtra, the government In 2003, SSP piloted their community health program in took the help of these Arogya Sakhis to reach out to the Maharashtra by raising awareness of women on how to communities. One objective of the government's access available resources and educating the community National Rural Health Mission (NRHM) is to identify and on hygiene and nutrition to prevent common illnesses. train community health leaders at the village level. Through initial facilitation, women met the service Grassroots women can apply to become government providers to gain more information on health, including sponsored community health leaders through their information on how to access existing programs and Gram Panchayat (local level government), which facilities. Empowered with such information and appoints leaders based on criteria such as education, increased capacity to voice their needs, the women family support and experience working in health. Fifty soon started demanding better services. Such interactions also focused on building relationships with government heath service providers, particularly PHCs, as they are necessary for both improving community health and reducing health related expenditure. To further strengthen the collaboration, a district workshop was organized through which three hundred SHG women learnt from the district officer of the range of services offered and means to access them. This knowledge was, in turn, disseminated across the community through SHG meetings. The workshop helped build SHG capacities to act as pressure groups for local government to ensure reliable PHC services. Consequently, SHGs launched a campaign to promote PHC services. The women were recognized as community monitors and were given identity cards by the government, who got regular reports from them if the PHC staff failed to deliver services or if the Mother and child in Osmanabad Hospital communities ceased to access them. Regular dialogues and workshops strengthened the relationship between of the eighty five Arogya Sakhis in Osmanabad are now grassroots communities and government government sponsored community health leaders who representatives like PHC doctors, PHC medical receive free government training and an identity card officers, and district health officers. that gives them recognition at local hospitals. SSP started building community ownership by training the community monitors and a few other SHG women Tackling the Chickungunya Epidemic as health educators, called Arogya Sakhis. The Arogya Sakhis provide basic health education and services, In May 2007, a six-month Chickungunuya follow up visits and act as referrals. They have epidemic hit Osmanabad district causing many developed a relationship with the PHCs, as well as fatalities, especially among children. Afraid, district level health officials which allows them to stay many villagers sought expensive, ineffective informed of government schemes, programs, and public treatment from private health practitioners. The health concerns. Using the same peer education state government found itself under-staffed and method and by strengthening existing channels of ill-equipped to respond to the onslaught of the communication, information is spread by these health epidemic. The government took the help of the educators to the community through SHGs.

17 Asha training in Solapur

Role of Health Governance Groups ! Strengthen partnerships with village PHCs ! Handle the administrative responsibilities of Health promotion meeting at Latur District community based Health Mutual Fund (HMF) ! Organize regular village health check-up, camps and hospital referrals 150 Arogya Sakhis training them to disseminate ! Conduct workshops on nutrition and healthy information on prevention and treatment of living involving all members of the community Chickungunya to the community. Along with ! Work with government officials to effectively village health officials, the Arogya Sakhis implement government health programs organized meetings to educate villagers on the ! Encourage institutional delivery for women disease and encourage them to use PHCs instead and immunization of private doctors. They also arranged health ! Implement community 'trainers team' to camps where villagers could receive treatment at transfer knowledge and skills of ASHAAs subsidized rates. Within a month and half, there ! Maintain village cleanliness and encourage was a noticeable decrease in new cases and the waste segregation and disposal epidemic began to subside. ASHAA representatives attend weekly PHC planning meetings through which they raise awareness on Forming Health Governance Groups government health schemes in their communities. PHCs use datasheets prepared by HGGs on common SSP organized an exposure visit of SHGs in Maharashtra illnesses in the village to plan their interventions. to meet the women in Tamil Nadu who were affected Interactions with PHCs have helped disseminate by the tsunami in 2004 to learn about the effectiveness information on government subsidies on toilets, the of working as a health collective to lobby local schedule of PHC activities like village visits of nurses and authorities to meet community needs. They saw the health workers and also the government mandated role work of health collectives called ASHAA (Arogya Sakhis of the PHCs. ASHAA members work with village for Health Awareness and Action) or Health health nurses on pregnancy related issues and Governance Groups (HGGs). Community women accompany them on their visits which resulted in organized themselves into Health Governance Groups, increased institutional deliveries. each consisting of 15-20 women aimed at linking communities to government programs, as well as, “Before the tsunami, there were only two to building accountability of the service providers. In July three deliveries in a month. Now, deliveries 2008, the SHGs of Osmanabad decided to adopt have increased to around 30 a month. This is aspects of the ASHAA model and have since formed 30 because of the work done by ASHAA leaders.” HGGs. Rajendran, Health Inspector, Thiruvangad PHC, Nagapattinam District, Tamil Nadu

18 India

SHGs are traditionally seen as microcredit groups. SHGs, SSP's Community Health Program with a However, with the formation of HGGs, the community strength of over 52,000 grassroots women, has has started recognizing them as groups devoted to empowered them to demand better health, water and community welfare. HGGs are better positioned to meet sanitation and make the public health system more community health demands, expand on the work of the accountable. Women act as planners and monitors, Arogya Sakhis as a group and have the kind of outreach assuming responsibility for the effectiveness of local and impact that a single individual alone cannot achieve. facilities. They are instrumental in establishing and HGGs organize community health check-up camps at the maintaining a relationship with service providers and the PHCs and community centers which are attended by a communities. doctor, laboratory staff and assistant. In the past two years, grassroots women have organized more than 25 camps, covering over 100 villages. The women have taken initiative and negotiated subsidized fees with the doctor and staff to make the camps affordable. Insuring Community Health SHG women often access loans mainly for health related expenditure. Despite the many interventions, many households still bear the burden of expensive treatment. In February 2006, the Sakhi Mutual Fund was launched to protect rural communities from unexpected health expenditures. The SHG Federations have tied up with a network of hospitals and clinics to ensure accessible and affordable treatment for all. Private hospitals are also included in the Sakhi Health Mutual fund hospital network to maximize convenience in emergencies. However, special incentives to use Exchange visit from Gujarat team at Indira Nagar Village government health facilities were designed wherever possible. For example, better reimbursement on The Importance of Awareness claims is offered for treatment at public hospitals. Camps: The Story of Sajeda Since, patients are wary of public services, the Arogya Sakhis accompany them to public hospitals and PHCs. Sajeda, a peer educator in Lohara block, As of March 2009, Osmanabad and Solapur districts of Osmanabad, trains women on the transmission Maharashtra have more than 13,000 policy holders of HIV/AIDS and motivates them, especially under the Sakhi health mutual funds. Each policy pregnant women, to get tested for the virus. member pays Rs. 100 per year for this health insurance. Sajeda is aware that local women are generally They receive a report card which details the health hesitant to openly discuss the disease. Sajeda has condition of the member, amount saved at clinics due to found a way to encourage pregnant women to the membership and claims status, and serves as an undergo an HIV test, who are usually reluctant to identity card. The card can be referred to for a list of get tested for HIV. She says, “When I visit these recognized doctors and hospitals, which assures women, I talk about the government schemes members of quality treatment at a time of need. for pregnant women, the care available to them and incentives offered for institutional delivery. Impact This gets them interested. Then I introduce HIV as being part of the routine tests for pregnant In Maharashtra, through the network of around 4,500

19 Health Training

responsible for maternal and child health. Community women acting as peer educators collaborated with them to identify HIV infected pregnant women and access HIV care services. They follow on advice given by doctors on family planning, nutrition, formula feeding and also provide them with counseling. Tsunami - Rasapettai Village Making PHCs More Effective women, emphasizing the importance of knowing Katgoan is a large village, with a population of one's status of the disease, the risk of over 10,000 inhabitants. The facilities at the transmission and the positive effects of village PHC were inadequate - the appointed antiretroviral treatment”. Sajeda organizes doctor was not active and unpaid electricity bills several HIV testing camps for all women led to the power supply being cut off. With no including pregnant women in Lohara block, a government health services, people were forced process which has helped strengthen her to seek medical treatment in Solapur, which is 30 relationship with local doctors and rural kilometers away. The village Arogya Sakhi group hospitals. “They now think of me as a member and the Gram Panchayat appealed to the District of their staff!” Sajeda laughs. Health Official to invest in the facilities. Through the National Rural Health Mission (NRHM) Rs. 2,000,000 was accessed for the construction of a New avenues of partnership between the community new PHC built in the center of town on land and local government have opened up. SHGs have generously donated by a local farmer. partnered with village governments to stop open defecation, a prevalent practice leading to poor health The site for the new PHC is surrounded by trees in India. They design community plans for safe drinking for which funds were raised from the village: water and sanitation, actively mobilize resources and “One of the contractors on the site was lobby the Gram Panchayat to include women in the particularly environmentally conscious and Village Water and Sanitation committees and see these proposed planting saplings and shrubs on the plans into action. This has already influenced the lives plot. We all cooperated with the construction of more than 275,000 households in Maharashtra. The and planting. We have also established a strong HGGs disseminate information to community members relationship with the new doctors, Dr Govind in Gram Sabhas (Village level meetings with Gram Bilabatt and his wife Dr Vidya Gurude. This has Panchayat) on all activities, important decisions taken, given us a sense of ownership and loyalty to our health and sanitation, which increases demand for new PHC,” said Suresh Dushetti, a Gram better health services. Panchayat member. Partnerships were sought at every level, including The new center was awarded a prize in 2005 as Anganwadi Centers (government child care centers), a 'best practice' in Maharashtra, and has seen a

20 India

remarkable decline in the infant mortality rate: “When we arrived, there were only 6 institutional deliveries in our first year and the infant mortality rate was 23. We are now delivering 160 babies per year at the center, Village cleaning by Ashas in Tamil Nadu which is about 83% of all births. We have also reduced the infant mortality rate to 11. Our SHG, has helped women to spot avenues for maternal mortality rate is negligible, and all participation and capitalize on these opportunities to women are coming forward for family planning access basic services. However their role in the public services and immunization, preferring to use the arena as of now remains undefined. Therefore, till such PHC rather than a private hospital”, said Dr participation is formalized, SHGs cannot easily act as Bilabatt, doctor, Katgoan PHC resources. As seen in Osmanabad, SHGs and women's groups like HGGs were able to develop innovative solutions to solve local problems as certain pre- Lessons Learnt on Service Delivery and conditions were in place, namely partnerships with local governments and access to resources. It is important Decentralization for women to be paid for their efforts, like the Arogya Health awareness camps are generally cost-effective Sakhis who were sponsored by government as and have succeeded in effective outreach to Community Health workers, without which these communities on government health schemes. Over the women are further burdened with the development years, SSP has recognized the significance of work of the community. Grassroots women have partnerships with government officials for accessing strong relations based on trust with the community are critical information. Decentralization has opened up able to deliver services and can act as resources. Just as avenues for women's participation in local development. the private sector has recognized this and entered into Prior to decentralization, community participation was collaboration with SHGs from SSP, it is equally taking place in a vacuum. Decentralization has given important that advocates of decentralized governance meaning to citizens, especially women, to act as part of recognize the key role women can play in service the community, part of decision making bodies and as delivery. resources. In India, policies and programs have devolved resources and decentralized management to the local level, including the provision of basic services. Over time, greater decentralization of decision making has taken place, but not so with the devolution of resources. Today, there is a framework and institutional system for decentralization. Women have benefitted from decentralization more in the form of participation, especially locally. Leakages can be monitored. Women can be effective if they are on agenda making committees, provided they are also part of organized women's groups. Yet, the role of women's groups in the agenda setting committees is not formalized nor are their roles as key leaders recognized. Being part of a

21 Czech Republic

Context and Background he emergence of new civil society movements in the Czech Republic must be understood in this context of A New Wave Tthe dramatic political, social and economic changes that followed the collapse of the communist regime and the rise of a market economy. Among them, the western feminist movement, of Women's which laid emphasis on empowerment through participation in the work-force, was unappealing to the Czech women. Rather, they related more to the concept of entwining family Movements in responsibilities with that of work. Earlier, under the socialist state, Czech women were entitled to social security provisions. the Czech Mothers were allowed to leave their children under the care of state-run nurseries and kindergartens. The new policy initiated by the government after the Velvet Revolution provided for the Republic well being of pre-school children through a family allowance. The policy underlined the necessity of the mother to stay at home for the child for a period of four years, the violation of which would A glimpse into the result in a loss in the family allowance. The traditional Czech values perceive women, especially mothers to remain in the working of Mother private domain rather than working. Young mothers found it 1 difficult to re-enter the job market as employers were hesitant to Centers hire them. This has resulted in Czech mothers experiencing a sense of both exclusion and impoverishment. Suranjana Gupta and Rut Kolinsky Decentralization and the growth of civil society movements in the Czech Republic needs to be also understood in the context of a post communist country where democratic processes are relatively new and still evolving. In this context, decentralization has generated demands from grassroots women for family friendly policies where dialogues to bring family concerns into the public arena became the focus. Secondly, there was a move towards self help where each local mother center reflected the local talents, needs and capacities of women who ran them. This provided a unique model for local development and participation which decentralized governance can link to and capitalize on.

Annual meeting of the Czech Mother Centers in 2006

1 Adapted from an article written by Suranjana Gupta for the Association for Women's Rights in Development (AWID's) Building Feminist Organizations and Movements Initiative, 2009

22 Czech Republic

The Genesis of the Mother Centers centers. They would negotiate with local authorities for Movement community space which would be rented out to them for a small fee. The rapid expansion of the individual The abrupt transition to capitalism and the inability to Mother Centers gave impetus to demands for relate to the western concept of feminism led Czech community development of public parks, playgrounds, women to explore new avenues to demonstrate how and cultural centers. childcare and motherhood, traditionally considered to be in the private domain, can be brought into the public Campaigns and Activities sphere. This led to the birth of the Mother Centers The network of Mother Centers raises awareness of movement. In 1992, a small group of Czech women, the social contribution of mothers and parenting inspired by the German model, started the first Czech Mother Center in Prague. For the first time in the Czech Republic, a public space for mothers was created where they could collectively fulfill their maternal responsibilities. Bringing issues of childcare and motherhood into the public sphere highlighted the gaps in the prevailing policies which leave mothers socially and economically isolated. By creating platforms that enable “ordinary” women to participate in public decision-making processes, women were, thus, being empowered to act as citizens and agents of change. Pamphlets, books and posters were used to publicize their work. The handbook of the German Mother Centers was translated to disseminate the Mother Center concept. Workshops were conducted for women to set up their own centers in their neighborhoods. Growth of Mother Centers A creative workshop organized for children by Motehr Centers in 2007

The success of the first Mother Center had a spill-over through campaigns such as Family-Friendly Societies, effect in the Czech Republic as within a decade, both Living with Prams, Local to Local Dialogues, City for individual centers grew across the Czech Republic as Children and My Daddy Rocks. Such campaigns seek to did the nation-wide network of 315 Mother Centers. bring parenting and child-rearing into the public domain Mothers began to voice their perspectives on policies by acknowledging the valid contributions women make and development that would balance parenting and towards fulfilling family responsibilities. employment by becoming active partners in municipal planning processes. By active lobbying, the mothers Local to Local Dialogues urged the government to create child-friendly public The Local to Local Dialogues provide an opportunity for facilities, working conditions and policies. The the Czech Mother Centers to advance the priorities of formation of a network helped women across the women through dialogues with local government. country support and mentor each other in running Through these dialogue mechanisms, the network these centers. Common concerns and experiences provided spaces for women to develop strategies for helped likeminded women mobilize and organize negotiations with government and work collectively activities for both children and women, and develop towards common concerns such as equal opportunities fund-raising strategies for the centers. The women in the workplace and flexible jobs. The idea of ordinary would identify and claim public spaces for setting up citizens entering into dialogue with government on

23 Czech Mother Center members sit together in one of the meetings Fathers in a workshop, as part of the Mother Centers campaign 'My Daddy Rocks’ community issues such as child-care and health was commitment to develop itself as a “family-friendly alien to Czech women. It instilled confidence in women institution” and create children's corners in public places to advocate for their rights. For instance, in the town of such as in job centers, the MoLSA and the Czech Social Breznice, the women used the campaign to facilitate a Security Administration. “The family,” declared the process of negotiations and dialogues between local ministry, “is an absolute essential unit of our society.2” In authorities, schools and corporations around setting up 2008, the Regional Family Friendly policy was a playground for children. The Local to Local Dialogues inaugurated by the Mother Centers taking the Family- have been up-scaled to the next level to a series of Friendly campaign to the regional level. regional Roundtable Dialogues by the Czech Mother My Daddy Rocks Centers. This is an engagement strategy to strengthen the relationship between the Mother Centers and local One of the campaigns, known as 'My Daddy Rocks', officials to promote planning and effective revolves around delegating family responsibilities implementation of family-friendly public services. The between the mother and the father. The traditional dialogues have enabled women to chalk out their own Czech society view fathers as providers of the family solutions and strategies, reducing their dependence on whereas mothers bear the sole responsibility in local authorities. parenting and rearing children. Mother Centers, through 'My Daddy Rocks', advocate fathers to take up Family-Friendly Society and its Activities an active role in parenting and child-care, thereby The campaign for a “family-friendly” society in 2004 has challenging traditional notions on the role of the father been one of the most effective strategies of the Czech in the family. The campaign emphasizes that the Mother centers. Through this campaign, women Mother Centers movement is not just for mothers but suggested measures to the government to promote addresses family concerns on parenting as a whole. The safety of women and children, flexible jobs, and child- objective of the campaign has been to showcase to friendly public facilities and services. The campaign won Czech society the dual role of the father in the the tacit support of the government initially but later on workplace and in the family, thereby thwarting the government openly declared its full support to the patriarchal norms. programs of the Family Friendly campaign. In 2006, the Ministry of Labor and Social Affairs (MoLSA) declared Partnership with the Government the legitimization of the centers by “drafting several The collaboration between the Mother Centers and the amendments to the social policies to support the government was achieved after a long struggle. Earlier, concerns of the families.” The ministry expressed its these centers were categorized by the authorities as

2 Kolinska, R. “Removing Barriers: History of Lobbying Approaches of the Network of Mother Centers in the Czech Republic” GROOTS International and Huairou Commission, 2007

24 Czech Republic

“child-care facilities,” which threatened the survival of Mother Centers realize that such linkages with the entire network and legal access to family members of the international community could amplify allowances. The reluctance of the government to impact in their own country. recognize the voluntary efforts of the Czech mothers While on one hand, the Czech Mother Centers were made the Mother Centers realize the need for a collaborating with international networks, on the other systematic advocacy strategy to negotiate for the hand, it was equally important to establish a formal legitimacy of the institutions. This paved the way for Czech network to share experiences and influence the formation of an autonomous body called the national and local policies. The Network was formally 'Network of Mother Centers in the Czech Republic' at registered with the Ministry of the Interior in 2001. the annual assembly of Czech Mothers Centers in 2001. Apart from this linkage, the Mother Centers developed The national network of Mother Centers became a platform for sharing lessons and experiences, as well as, influencing national and city policies and programs. The first Mother Center Congress in 1997 witnessed attempts by the government to accept the concept of Mother Centers. Prominent women Members of Parliament and the State Vice-Minister were invited for the Congress; a sign of improving relations with the Mother Centers and the Czech government. The partnership with the government was further strengthened with a bus trip to Stuttgart, Germany in 1999 accompanied by national and local government officials. The idea behind this trip was to showcase to the Czech delegates the Baden Wurttenburg regional network of the German Mother Centers which was supported by the local and national government. The

visit to the German Mother Centers was a turning point A mother talking to a member of the Czech Minsitry of Social Welfare in the partnership with the Czech government as it helped persuade Czech politicians at all levels of the sustainable partnerships with the Ministry of Social Mother Center concept and harnessed political support. Affairs, the Foreign Ministry, Ministry of Agriculture, the Rut Kolinsky, one of the founders of the Czech Mother Department of Human Rights and Gender Equality. The Centers said the trip was an eye-opener as the Czech mother centers consider government agencies, politicians witnessed “the reality of open support especially at the municipal level, to be important espoused by their German counterparts to the German grassroots partners for consultation on issues ranging 3 Mother Centers. ” from the role of the family in civil society to reform of the school and education system. A Czech municipal Global Partnerships and Networking officer said, “public authorities are slowly realizing what In 1999, the Czech Mother Centers joined GROOTS a positive thing it is, when citizens become active, and International4, a network of grassroots women's are beginning to support grassroots groups.” He organization, and the Huairou Commission. Being part appreciated the role of the Mother Centers as places of the global network and joining a struggle beyond where the concept of self-help works and where their own neighborhood and country helped the Czech friendly relations are formed5.

3 Interview with Rut Kolinsky, 4 February, 2010 4 GROOTS International is a global network comprised of grassroots women's organizations and networks focused on advancing grassroots women's development priorities in the areas of Community Resilience; Governance; HIV and AIDS and Livelihoods. It is a founding member of the Huairou Commission. 5 “Mother Centers in the Czech Republic”, Monika Jaeckel in Engendering Governance and Development : Grassroots Women's Best Practices, edited by Sangeetha Purushothaman and Monika Jaeckel, Books for Change, Bangalore, 2001, p.58.

25 Children from different communities and cultures are a part of the Mother Centers

can thus act in unison, aggregate their impact, and steadily press local authorities, government, and businesses to operate in ways that address their concerns. The rapidly expanding network indicates the large number of women across the country that are Inuagration ceremony of a new Mother Center in 2006 eager to run centers through voluntary efforts, claim public spaces, and sign up to the priorities, principles Impact and values represented by the Network of Mother Centers in the Czech Republic. Of the currently Czech women have expressed that their increased members of the Network, 70 centers signed up in the confidence levels, derived from the centers, have last year alone, indicating a growing momentum. The offered them a space to share and learn from each efforts of the Mother Centers have created spaces for other's experiences. “The mother centers are often women to undertake childcare collectively, access child- able to find flexible and non-bureaucratic solutions and friendly infrastructure in their neighborhoods, and support systems” without the help of which “women influence legislation on social policy. Significantly, in 6 would have fallen through the social fabric. ” The 2007, the national government amended the law on Mother Center has often been described as a space allowances to permit families to use childcare facilities where women have not just developed new skills but for five days a month. have discovered talents they were unaware of. This, in turn, has boosted their morale. A mother recounted her first The repressive communist regime forbade free experience at a Mother Center: association, forcing people into passivity and blind “That the Mother Center was not a service obedience. The post-socialist society in the Czech provider was astonishing to me when I first Republic struggled to accept democratic institutions. started coming to the center. That we were The rapid spread of Mother Centers across the country actually invited to participate in the running of has contributed to the process of fostering democracy the center was a real challenge. I noticed by encouraging participatory activities, tolerance and reluctance coming from my unwillingness to be pluralism. The Mother Centers found the way for the part of any organization which I carry from times citizens to learn the procedures required to form an of totalitarian society when membership in association. According to one of the members of the various unions and parties were imposed on Mother Centers, the entire process was like “learning 7 us… I needed to learn how to participate, how democracy in practice. ” to be active in the center. I feared not to The 315 Mother Centers currently federated and contradict someone else's competencies. formalized as a network across villages, towns and cities Gradually, we learnt that work can be divided, of the Czech Republic constitutes a movement with a that everybody can take a bit of responsibility for shared identity, clearly articulated principles and values, running the center and that every contribution is and a shared political and social vision of the changes important.” they want to bring about. The many Mother Centers

67 i.b.i.d. p.50 i.b.i.d. p.57

26 Czech Republic

The centers have enabled the women to challenge The very nature of governance has been redefined by traditional notions and seek alternatives. The Mother bringing a new level of transparency and accountability. Centers have shown women an alternative means of Women from Mother Centers have participated in living, with fewer resources, rather than be carried municipal elections and have been elected to influence away by the consumerist culture promoted by the the government from within. There are funding and market economy. This kind of role modeling urges legislative issues that need to be addressed by the families to lead a simple life, which is a feature of the mother centers. Several mother center leaders became Mother Centers that distinguishes it from the media and active in municipal planning processes, within which corporate institutions. Alternative health care and they lobbied the government to create child-friendly ecological measures are another focus of the centers' public facilities, policies and working conditions. They activities. are actively representing the movement in the local

“We became active in our local hospital, challenging the notion that there is only one right position for giving birth. Now women have more choices concerning childbirth. We also have made it possible for women to stay overnight with their children who are in the hospital. This was the result of discussions we had in a group on women and health at our center.8” - according to one of the Czech mothers

In the Centers, women have learnt both to make and be responsible for their own decisions and also to “live together with others and take the take responsibility of the whole.9” It was equally important to listen to the

opinions of others and learn to accept the differences in Sensitising children on the environment at a workshop organized by Mother Centers ideas. Due to its recent history, the citizens of the Czech Republic felt intimidated to approach the parliament and municipal councils in departments bureaucracy. concerning youth welfare, development and family policy. The centers advocated changes in the parental Strategies leave legislation which makes cuts in the monthly family The unfavorable political and social environment in allowances if children attend any form of public which the Mother Centers were established demanded childcare. The Centers have vigorously pursued for appropriate measures by the Mother Center leaders to effective changes in the legislation by organizing ensure legitimacy and acceptance. Active collaboration petitions, holding public debates and writing in the across government and corporate departments was media. aimed at alleviating the hostile approach of the government towards the centers. A variety of The lessons learnt from the Mother professional partnerships were necessary for the Centers centers to be acknowledged as an integral part of the The importance of collaborating and working alongside society. The concept of providing a space for citizens to international networks of grassroots women cannot be engage into dialogue with the government generates ignored as this helps in sharing effective strategies for allowing an effective alternative to bureaucratic influencing the policy-makers on gender issues. Being strategies.

89 i.b.i.d. p.52 i.b.i.d. p.55

27 Minister of Work and Social Affairs at the 2007 Congress of Mother Centre

Mother Center into a professional entity. Most of the members of the Mother Centers are opposed to the Ministry's proposal as it could destroy the spirit of the Mother Centers: a bottom-up grassroots movement. Through the valuable lesson of partnership with the government, the Mother Centers have shown the way Mother Center members seen with children of an orphanage in 2008 to bridge the differences between them and the government. It is only through dialogue at the state influencing the policy-makers on gender issues. Being level that the Mother Centers can ensure equitable part of such far-reaching networks has also increased family policies. Dialogue is also necessary with the their credibility and impact on social and economic Czech companies who deny flexible or part-time jobs policies. The voluntary efforts of the Mother Centers to working mothers. The Mother Centers in have rejected the compulsory collectivism advocated by collaboration with the Czech companies explore the communist state and the commercialization that possibilities to enable the working Czech mothers to occurred due to the country's rapid march towards engage in work and attend to her parental duties at the capitalism. Besides establishing international networks, same time. the Mother Centers have learnt the importance of working in partnership with the government, both at The work of the Mother Centers in the near future the national and local levels to receive financial aid and rests in the area of supporting fledgling Mother Centers overall support of its programs. across the Czech Republic and bringing them within the fold of the network. The Mother Center movement in The conflict of interest between the local and the the Czech Republic envisions incorporating family issues national government at Prague often affects the in the areas of child-care, parenting and flexible continuation of the programs of the Mother Centers. A employment opportunities within the European state change in the government, either at the national or policies. regional level hampers the activities of the Centers as the family-friendly policies pursued by the predecessor might be reversed by the new party in power. This necessitates the Mother Centers to initiate cordial relations with politicians across party lines for ensuring political non-interference in their activities. Often, the social policies imposed by the Ministry of Labor and Social Affairs (MoLSA) are not conducive for the Mother Centers at the regional level. This problem demands decentralization to be restructured to ensure adequate devolution of powers within the regional and local governments. The MoLSA has emphasized the need to include professionals in the Mother Centers and convert the

28 Russia

ith the fall of Soviet Union in the early 1990s and Women's the ushering in of democracy, Russia witnessed Wthe rise of citizens' groups and active community Grassroots based initiatives. This period can be marked as one with growing women's activities, uniting women's groups and Initiatives for organizations, getting new public experience and women's organizations and NGOs in Russia holding seminars, internationally, nationally and locally. The Fourth World Good Women's Conference in Beijing, China gave women organizations in Russia new approaches and contacts and was Governance in instrumental in shaping the agenda of the women's movement in Russia. In the middle of 1990s, the woman's agenda was Russian Cities incorporated in national and local policies. Even with the emergence of different political parties, A look into the democratic institutions and norms, state policies were hardly gender sensitive. While at its origin in 1995, ICIWF focused working of initially on the empowerment of women and the institutionalization of the women's movement in Russia, in time Information Center its goals expanded to include inclusion of women in the development of local self-governance, development of local for the Independent communities, partnership on the territories and engendering Women's Forum in municipal and local policies. Since 2000, ICIWF has been Petrozavodsk and Putchino Elizaveta Bozkhova

Opening Session of a seminar in Putchino

29 In front of the Family Center at Putchino

One of these neighborhood communities focused on keeping the space clean, maintaining the grounds, planting flowers and building a playground. What used to be seen as a dirty space before was soon known to be a good living space throughout the city. This Women from neighborhood communities meeting the Mayor of Putchino particular neighborhood community is now renowned across the city of Petrozavodsk. It was important not largely organizing neighborhood communities on issues just for the common spaces to be clean and related to improving public spaces. neighborhoods beautified, but also for the environment Voicing and solving the issues of the to be friendly for women, children, the disabled and the neighborhood in Petrozavodsk elderly. At the end of the 1990s, women's organizations from A few women leaders emerged from the neighborhood 10 cities in Russia were involved in self-governance and groups of Petrozavodsk and created a resource center in the development of neighborhood communities. For called, “citizen and house”. The resource center was a example, in Petrozavodsk, ICIWF worked closely with place where people could come together to solve their local women to develop the 'neighborhood problems collectively, culturally, uncommon in Russia. communities'. The neighborhood communities consist Through these groups, ICIWF organized seminars for of 250-400 people organized with the goal of helping local dialogues, where local authorities, police, the the community improve the quality of life and Department of Social Affairs, the Department of encouraging community members to be involved in the Consumer Affairs, business representatives and citizens process of engagement with local authorities and came together to share issues faced, developmental influence the policies of the municipality. needs and build a vision and plan for the city. Typically, seminars are restricted to experts who are distant from In Petrozavodsk, problems of alcoholism and drug use ground realities and may not have in depth knowledge in public places have plagued community members for of issues faced by people. With multiple stakeholders long. There were also rampant incidents of violence at including the community coming together, problems home and outside, mainly due to alcoholism. Public were described and understood better and collective safety became a major issue for women, especially due solutions were suggested. These seminars brought to the lack of police support. In 1995, ICIWF began those who are 'at the bottom', the voices of the women working in Petrozavodsk by hosting a series of and others that are typically silenced, to the decision- seminars in partnership with an organization specializing making table. Having faced the issues, citizens in gender studies to sensitize the local government and responded with the wisdom of experience that helped authorities towards the needs of the community. in drawing a more effective city plan. For example, In 2000, 13 neighborhood groups were formed by when the neighbors submitted a plan of a yard, it was ICIWF with residents of the same building or territory more detailed and realistic than that of the professional to make decisions on their immediate environment. architects who submitted a generic plan that was locally

30 Russia

inappropriate. This way, the neighborhood management, energy, state of housing, municipal communities were also recognized for their work. improvement, and on children’s playgrounds. Schoolchildren were mobilized to monitor the door- Community-led neighborhood halls and worked towards maintaining the flats of the revitalization in Putchino elderly, especially war and labor veterans. In 2005- Like in Petrozavodsk, organizing seminars for local 2006, schoolchildren, children from a shelter home and dialogues helped another Russian city create a more teachers took on another city improvement initiative. community sensitive city plan. The fall of the Soviet They started cleaning and maintaining badly kept public Union saw most of its cities go through one of the spaces, painting the refuse bins and banisters in order to worst financial crisis. This was also true for the keep make their city clean and by doing little things like biological research capital of Russia, Putchino, with its buildings, entrances, territories and roads demanding attention from both the authorities and the citizens. Galina Pavlovna Sapozhnikova joined ICIWF in 2003, aiming to solve many of the developmental issues of Putchino and initiated an innovative project of separate collection of organic wastes with participation of schoolchildren, teachers and neighborhood residents. As early as 2004, Local to Local Dialogues were organized with representatives from the administration, local council deputies, young scientists, students, members of trade unions, psychologists, ecologist, citizens, teachers and NGOs coming together to discuss the needs of their city. The goal of these dialogues was to bring together socially active people to design In the Public Family Center at Putchino solutions to problems faced and form a common vision for the city. Soon, it was found that if the citizens could painting ecological pictures on the walls, making sand see a tangible change in their own surroundings, they boxes and benches. This became a space for people to would feel a sense of accomplishment and take more come together to do collective work in their spare ownership over the development of their time. This new public place bought together multiple neighborhood. ICIWF also organized seminars to equip generations creating a new form of intimacy. A club the residents of Putchino with social project writing called ‘Young Family” was organized which conducted skills so that they could submit projects and gain courses for young parents. In 2006, during the financial support. The residents of Putchino, upon inauguration of a public playground for children, built submission of a proposal won a joint city project with active participation of neighborhood groups, the because of a holistic approach to solve the city's waste Mayor and Chairman of Council of Deputies recognized problem. The project involved schoolchildren, the value of the work done by the citizens of Putchino. teachers, businessmen, scientists, the local Council of Partnerships Deputy and residents which resulted in the decrease of wastes carried to city's dump, leading to lower costs. The neighborhood communities of Petrozavodsk have been recognized by local government for their work The neighborhood groups in Putchino worked on issues through invitations by the Mayor and Vice Mayor to related to public spaces including solid waste

31 Window before repair in Petrozavodsk

A playground in Putchino

share their experience at weekly municipal seminars. In the past, these weekly meetings included heads of departments, private sector but no citizen representation. It was difficult for the common person to voice their grievances to the local government authorities as they were not accessible, with even their phone calls going unanswered. Now the neighbors are Window after repair in Petrozavodsk able to speak directly from their experiences and contextualize their issues at these seminars. In addition, Impact the women leaders in particular are taking the floor in these meetings and presenting a women's perspective Post communist Russia has witnessed the emergence of on issues discussed. This activity was widely supported a new culture and democratic tradition of community by local women journalists through local radio and through the creation of neighborhood groups. Over newspapers. time, more neighborhood groups have been mobilized and their capacities built for local self-governance. Neighborhood communities are now engaged with the United, these groups have collectively solved many local police on various social issues and crime prevention problems regarding public spaces, housing, parks and so work requiring a common understanding on dynamics on. Increased solidarity among neighbors through the between people. In Russia, the police are trained in groups, built ownership over common spaces and on universities but gain no real practical experience during the solutions being implemented. Solutions were their training. Hence, collaborations with neighborhood designed based on new common values, and a culture communities have helped in understanding the subtle which promotes dialogue, interaction, collaborative dynamics of the social context in which the crime is partnerships and emphasizes communities taking taking place. The work of neighborhood communities responsibility. Women are involved in the city's political has been recognized by law keepers and the process and they have been able to forge partnerships businessmen within the community. Recently, the with different political actors of the city. Groups started businessmen have provided space along with approaching authorities as a collective and got better telephones to the neighborhood community groups for responses, even from the police, infamous for being an office. They have also provided funding for more unresponsive. Through seminars, all stakeholders came seminars and workshops to discuss safety issues. together to create solutions that are gender sensitive

32 Russia

and reflected the situation of the community as a whole. government wants the citizens to pay all of their social The immediate space and living conditions of more than services themselves amounting to $100 per apartment 2,000 persons improved, as did the values and the but people on pension only receive about $100 per culture. Maintenance of the common spaces was month. Originally the rent was very small and was ensured by dividing responsibility amongst members of subsidized by the government and only had to pay groups ensuring sustainability of solutions. Entrances of about 10 percent of the pension, now they are asking public housing buildings were secured resulting in a for the citizen to pay the full 100 percent. This situation significant decline in crime rates. Strong attention is has resulted in multiple challenges for residents. There paid to safety with the police being integrally involved is no money for building maintenance. Due to citizens' and asked by groups to provide data on the crimes movements and demands, the government has agreed committed in the area. Among other successes, a decrease in domestic violence and alcoholism transpired as problems became more transparent. As a solution a shelter homes for abuse victims was built. There has been increased recognition from government and improved access to government officials. Due to the Housing and Public Service Reforms implemented in Russia in 1994, the development of local self-governance was made possible, yet local authorities had limited possibilities to realize them. Through decentralization processes many of the responsibilities and social benefits once held at the state level are now being shifted to the local government level and, in turn, to the citizen. This is creating an impasse as the citizens are unable to afford their A creative workshop organized at the family center at Putchino housing and the local government is unable to to divide the city and state budgets more equitably. implement the regulations required for lack of budgetary support. One example of this situation is Partnerships between the local groups and the reflected by the 2005 state Housing Code, adopted to maintenance companies go way back to 2004. In address current housing issues. In the soviet period, 60 Petrozavodsk, the local groups are actively involved in percent of the municipal budget was allocated for the selection of maintenance companies, which is a communal services (meaning housing). The state mechanism emphasized by ICIWF. The strong

Strategies ! Capacity building of partners to engage with communities, The main strategies that ICIWF and the neighborhood communities have used are: ! Building partnerships with local government, academia and the private sector ! Mobilization and capacity building of groups to organize themselves into neighborhood groups ! Creating dialogue through seminars and raising awareness on issues

33 Families enjoying the renovated park at Putchino

focused on solving these issues of housing and public service reform in Petrozavodsk. Lessons learnt The citizens must be encouraged to participate in the Park before renovation in Petrozavodsk local governance as they are the main partners and are the most affected. For example, after the partnership with the Ministry of Internal Affairs has neighborhood communities of Russia shared the helped ICIWF to have their concerns on women's safety responsibility of housing and maintenance with their addressed with the heads of the ministry. The Public local governments, problems concerning the Relations Department have strongly supported the maintenance and repair of elevators and pipes have endeavors of ICIWF to build cordial and constructive been addressed. The local community has been able to relations with the citizens for effective solutions to their negotiate with local entrepreneurs for setting up grievances by ensuring their officials attend ICIWF's businesses in the area on their terms including timings training events. Seminars were conducted with and contributions to the community. professionals of housing maintenance companies and police to enhance the levels of interaction between Decentralization is effective for curbing corruption as them and neighborhood groups. Safety for women has the administration is accountable to the people. The been deliberated in the seminars for the police that process of decentralization that had begun since the have benefited the police officers, helping them to be early 1990s provided the mandate for popular more articulate and capable in tackling violence and participation in local governance. With the distribution domestic abuse against women. of power, civil society is emerging as an alternative voice to that of the government to address common Future plans community concerns. For the neighborhood communities and the ICIWF, In the area of housing, decentralization in Russia has there are new issues coming up due to policies that are shifted housing reform from a state responsibility to the hurting the residents. The costs of communal services local level, transferring the responsibility and burden, in are permanently raised without public control, but turn, to citizens. If local government is to be inhabitants become poorer. As a result the gap empowered and if citizen participation in local between rich and poor become more and more governance is to succeed then a transfer of financial significant. Public service reform, initiated by the powers should parallel administrative responsibility. central government, has shifted a significant amount of While currently there is a sharing of resources between responsibility for community maintenance from central neighborhood groups and local government which government to the locality without passing on any allows for maintenance issues to be addressed, in the resources. Privatization of communal services has long term, this will only be sustainable with started without educational and professional support. commensurate resources being made available. Together with the neighborhood groups, ICIWF is now

34 “ n the last 20 years decentralization has established itself as a Conclusions on political and institutional phenomenon in most countries Iaround the world.” Decentralized United Cities and Local Government (UCLG), 2008 Decentralization, as a global trend, has evolved hand-in-hand Local with two equally important global developments, namely citizen participation and democratization. In these Governance developments, local government can play a vital role, as with combating poverty and inequality. “Local governments have a Sangeetha Purushothaman front line position in the battle against poverty, through social and Sanjeev Pillay inclusion, access to basic services, and participation.” For local governments to be effective in this battle, citizens' participation and more importantly, grassroots women's engagement needs to be center-staged. The foundation of grassroots women's movements rests in Community-Based Organizations (CBOs) which play a pivotal role in harnessing women's participation in sustainable development. Apart from providing a platform to influence governance, women can utilize opportunities provided by decentralization and the concurrent restructuring of local government, to shape the local development agenda. The primary requisites for effective engagement between grassroots women and local government include mobilization of women into organized groups; capacitating and resourcing

1 These conclusions are based on the article “From Beneficiaries To Stakeholders: Grassroots Women's Groups Drive the Demand for Good Governance through Pro-Poor Development”, Draft Discussion Paper for the DFGG Learning Summit, written by Prema Gopalan, Suranjana Gupta, Shannon Hayes and Birte Scholz, 2008 and interviews with Prema Gopalan, Rut Kolinsky, Elizaveta Bozkhova and Carmen Robles Arana. 2 Decentralization and local democracy in the world: First Global report by United Cities and Local Government, Co-published by the World Bank and United Cities and Local Governments, Barcelona, 2008, p.301.

35 CONCLUSIONS

“For grassroots women, governance is not an abstract concept; it is part of their daily lives. Governance is about who gets what, who does what and who decides who gets what. In other words, governance is about rights, responsibilities, and resource allocations, and the processes by government, capacity building of women and their local which these are decided upon.” government counterparts to engage with each other and finally the claiming of public space. Srilatha Batliwala, Harvard University Mobilization is a common entry level strategy starting at the grassroots for all organizations. Several initiatives these groups to engage with local government and used community mapping as a means of mobilization as formalizing women's public roles in setting agendas, well as to create a community owned knowledge base, innovating solutions and institutionalizing them. These an important resource that women can use during requirements are based on the assumption that women, negotiations. All these organizations established being the most impacted by poverty, should also be the principled partnerships with local, regional and national ones in the fore front of solving them. This would governments to help communities access resources, require repositioning women away from the shape local development agendas and hold governments stereotypes of beneficiaries into citizens and agents of accountable. The claiming of public space is a strategy change, in the eyes of all development actors. by which community ownership is built over public services and service providers. Peer learning is another What distinguishes grassroots women's movements are important strategy by which knowledge is transmitted the ways in which they engage with government and horizontally among grassroots communities. other social and political actors, namely through Mobilization and horizontal exchanges also take place at inclusive partnerships, through celebrating diversity and national and international levels through networks for transforming relations alongside collaboration. An advocacy and peer learning, such as Huairou important distinguishing feature here is their ability to Commission and the Grassroots Women's International create and demonstrate practical, sustainable solutions Academies. to meet basic needs which they bring to the bargaining table. Therefore grassroots women's groups can play a Capacity Building vital role to address a crucial gap in actual delivery of services and meeting of the basic needs. Examples in Enhancing local capacity has been an important strategy this publication demonstrate a range of innovative for organizations to build effective partnerships and solutions that women have implemented across the shape development as planners, monitors and world. What remains now, is for local governments to implementers. Capacity building entails identification of recognize grassroots women as equal partners in problems, raising awareness on solutions and accessing development. different government services and resources available. For example, SSP in India raised awareness among Grassroots Women's Strategies on citizens on health and sanitation and simultaneously on Governance and Development services available with health service providers. GROOTS Kenya acts a key information resource center Activities of grassroots organizations do not revolve providing paralegal support to disinherited women and round a single strategy. They involve the inter-play of a children to claim their rights. Often times, capacities of range of strategies used creatively including peer local government and agencies such as the police have learning among women within communities, or to be built to interact with neighborhood groups, like in alternatively, the use of national or international the case of ICIWF, Russia. For the Czech Republic exchanges to establish greater legitimacy with local where the idea of communities dialoguing with

36 CONCLUSIONS

government was non-existent, Mother Centers built negotiate with local government for public space to set capacities and confidence of women to engage in up new centers. Often, local authorities helped the dialogues with local authorities. In Peru, SEA is one of Centers by providing them a room to hold meetings the forerunners in capacity building on decentralized and workshops at a nominal fee. ICIWF members have governance processes, such as participatory planning claimed ownership over public space by creating an and participatory budgeting. environment that is friendlier and safer for women, the disabled, elderly and children in public housing buildings Building Principled Partnerships and neighborhood parks. They have created a resource Partnerships with local government has come from the center where local citizens can collectively voice and recognition by government that the developmental solve common problems, thereby challenging traditional work, including service delivery, is both effective and norms in Russia where community action of this kind is relevant to local needs, only through community participation. In several cases, government has not only recognized the value of community driven initiatives, but often times, even financially supported the work women have done. Such recognition takes the form of providing institutional space for the CBOs to actually funding their activities. An important precedent for example, was set by the Unemployment Department of the Czech Republic which funded jobs at the Mother Centers (Jaeckel, 2001). Such partnerships also play a crucial role in creating a nexus between governmental and non governmental work, without communities losing their identity and still retaining the right to monitor the work of local authorities. Joint planning initiatives with CBOs and government help both recognize each other's strengths. Planning is no more seen as the forte of professional and technical experts, and citizens' understanding of local needs are a rarity. SEA, Peru has claimed decision making space in better accepted and acknowledged. This was clearly local coordinating councils where grassroots demonstrated in the case of the municipality plan of organizations in El Agustino have managed to get three Petrozavodsk, where community participation in seats resulting in two governance agreements being preparing such plans significantly improved their signed and three grassroots organizations being able to effectiveness, and their plans for a local playground develop the Concerted Development Plan in 2004. SSP, were recognized as better than that of professional through the strategy of Health Governance Groups and architects. Similarly, interactive fora between local positioning SHG members as monitors, claimed government and citizens helped the Shibuye community ownership over public health centers and Community Health Workers and GROOTS Kenya to local hospitals. address the fundamental problem faced by local communities, namely that of inaccessibility of local Peer learning authorities like the CACC, perceived by communities to Peer learning is a core strategy used to spearhead the be an inaccessible, non-transparent entity. work of grassroots organizations, both locally and internationally. In fact, the very birth of the Czech Claiming Public Space Mother Centers’ movement, now 315 centers in In the Czech Republic, Mother Centers were able to strength, emerged through peer exchanges between

37 the German Mother Centers and Czech mothers. Sharing experiences facilitate exchange of ideas and innovations and in some cases can even harness political support. This was clearly illustrated during the bus ride to Stuttgart by Mother Center delegates and Czech politicians where the strong collaboration between German Mother Centers and the German local participatory budgeting process. government influenced the Czech government What has Decentralization Meant for counterparts to emulate the same model. The Local to Local Dialogues Global Initiative of the Huairou Grassroots Women Organizations Commission has shown the way for most grassroots Decentralization, including financial devolution, is seen communities to engage in effective negotiations with as a prerequisite for democratization of development the local administration through international exchanges processes, without which community participation across countries with grassroots organizations grounded occurs in a vacuum. For grassroots organizations, in locally based initiatives. In Russia, the local decentralization has enabled women to play a proactive administration, police, government departments and role in local governance. As a result of decentralization the community members are part of the Local to Local and the devolution of decision making powers and Dialogues deliberated by the ICIWF to address vital responsibilities to local bodies, grassroots organizations developmental concerns in the community have innovated new strategies which, on the one hand, neighborhoods. In most of the case-studies, the are collaborative, designed mainly to empower local distinguishing feature of the Local to Local Dialogues government and on the other hand, challenge local has been creation of a niche for women grassroots bodies to ensure their accountability to local workers to bring forth their own strategies to counter communities. neighborhood problems, be it those relating to sanitation, health, participatory governance or In the case of post-socialist countries with a history of development. repressive governance, decentralization and community participation together have set the stage for these Peer learning also takes place locally, based on the countries to establish the first set of democratic assumption that learning at the grassroots is quickest organizations, norms and practices. The Czech Mother when it is directly from each other. The mapping Centers have created a channel for people in former process conducted by SSP and GROOTS Kenya is one communist countries to learn democratic behavior and form of horizontal learning where communities engender democratic processes. Here, and in other collectively map their resources, understand problems countries, grassroots women's organizations represent and brainstorm solutions together. For instance, in a new type of civil society, one which is community- Maharashtra, women proved to be excellent peer based, non-hierarchical and women-led. educators where Arogya Sakhis helped the district government of Osmanabad disseminate information The experiences of grassroots women's organizations through sanghas throughout the communities about an with decentralized governance have been mixed. Not epidemic (Chickungunya) in May, 2007, which was only has the sharing of powers helped grassroots causing fatalities among children and creating fear in the women participate in local governance, decentralization villages. In Peru as well, water committees constituted has enabled the larger community to monitor and mostly by grassroots women came together to share advocate for basic services. However, both in Russia experiences and strategies to help the new water and the Czech Republic, decentralization has not been committees get a head-start in negotiating with local accompanied by the transfer of financial powers to the government on the proposals developed through the local government. In general, financial devolution to the participatory budgeting process. local authorities has been uneven both across and within countries. Also in all the cases, corruption

38 CONCLUSIONS

remains a barrier to transparency and good governance. Furthermore, conflict of interests between different levels of government remains an obstacle to real bottom-up planning and decision making processes. Nonetheless there have been several positive outcomes of grassroots women's engagement with decentralized While the roles of grassroots women have been governance. recognized by government mainly in participation and monitoring, this role has not been formalized to the In all instances, the most visible outcome has been that point where women's groups are being resourced for of increased participation of women in agenda setting and their work. In fact, there are numerous examples to decision making at the local level. Participation has also show that women, when provided resources through gone a step further in the form of sharing of supportive partnerships, have been able to innovate and responsibilities of development work as in the case of demonstrate viable, practical solutions to local ICIWF, Russia where women have collaborated with problems. However, often women have to work for local government on housing maintenance problems free or subsidize the work of local governments and for and funding of grassroots initiatives in the case of SSP, long term sustainability, their contributions need to be India. recognized, legitimized and formally resourced. SEA, in Strategic partnerships with government have been Peru has set a precedent through the participatory instrumental in addressing basic needs and community budgeting process by which funding for women's on based problems. For example in Kenya, these going activities has been lobbied for. partnerships have created redressal mechanisms for Finally, advocacy with local and national governments land-grabbing, illegal land sales and child and women has helped reshape legislation on gender sensitive and abuse. In SSP, India women have accessed public health child friendly policies, as witnessed in the case of the services and obtained health insurance. In both Kenya Czech Mother Centers. In the Czech Republic the and India, this access has been achieved through national government amended the law on allowances community mapping strategies which created an permitting families to use childcare facilities for five days information base for negotiations with government. In a month, while in Kenya, GROOTS Kenya helped Kenya, the mapping process has enabled grassroots influence the adoption of land policy in 2009. leaders to mobilize local communities and provide data on the problems faced by the community to the local The five global cases thus, underline the significance of administration. Likewise, SSP utilized the mapping decentralization in providing grassroots women's process to demand accountability from the public health organizations a larger space for participation in local system in meeting community health needs. Monitoring governance. The main lesson learnt from these, along service delivery, along with dissemination of information with other organizations across the Huairou on entitlements to government services, has increased Commission, are that local development can be made the demand for public services, improving efficiency of most effective and relevant to local needs only when service delivery, along with the additional outcome of there are active and principled partnerships between reducing corruption. local government and mobilized communities. Decentralization therefore, by shifting power, resources and basic service delivery to the arm of government “One of the signal features of decentralization, and closest to the community, has the potential of placing one of its bright spots, is the renewed connection access to these resources into the hands of the between citizens and government.” community. Despite challenges to decentralization, - United Cities and Local Government (UCLG), grassroots women groups, being innovators and 2008, p. 294. problem-solvers across local communities, are able to creatively utilize this space to redefine, engender and breathe new life into local governance.

39 REFERENCES

Gupta, Suranjana (2004) Local to Local Dialogue: A Grassroots Women's Perspective on Good Governance, UN Habitat, January

Jaeckel, Monika (2001) “Mother Centers in the Czech Republic.” in Engendering Governance and Development: Grassroots Women's Best Practices, edited by Sangeetha Purushothaman and Monika Jaeckel, Books for Change, Bangalore

Kauzya, John-Mary (2005) “Decentralization: Prospects for Peace, Democracy and Development”, Division for Public Administration and Development Management (DPADM) Discussion paper, United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs, New York, September, unpan1.un.org/intradoc/groups/public/.../un/unpan021 510.pdf

United Cities and Local Governments (1998) Preamble, Worldwide Declaration on Women in Local Government, UCLG, Harare, November http://www.cities- localgovernments.org/uclg/upload/template/templated ocs/worldwidedeclaration.htm

United Nations Economic and Social Council, (2006) “Definition of Basic Concepts and Terminologies in Governance and Public Administration”, Compendium of Basic Terminology in Governance and Public Administration, New York, 27-30, March unpan1.un.org/intradoc/groups/public/.../un/unpan022 332.pdf

World Bank and United Cities and Local Governments (2008) Decentralization and Local Democracy in the World: First Global Report, United Cities and Local Government, Barcelona

40 GLOSSARY

AIDS Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome ASHAA Arogya Sakhis for Health Awareness and Action CACC Constituency AIDS Control Committees CBO Community-Based Organization GROOTS Grassroots Organizations Operating Together in Sisterhood GK GROOTS, Kenya HC Huairou Commission HIV Human Immunodeficiency Virus HGG Health Governance Group HMF Health Mutual Fund ICWF Information Center for the Independent Women's Forum LCC Local Coordinating Council MoLSA Ministry of Labor and Social Affairs NACC National AIDS Control Council NGO Non-Governmental Organization NRHM National Rural Health Mission PHC Public Health Center SEA Servicios Educativo El Augustino SEDAPAL Company for Water and Sewage of Lima SHG Self-Help Group SSP Swayam Shikshan Prayog STI Sexually Transmitted Infections UCLG United Cities and Local Governments UNESCO United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization UNDP United Nations Development Program

41 This booklet is published as part of the Huairou Commission Governance Campaign through the support of UNDP. It is part of a series of tools, publications and resource support that the Huairou Commission has developed to promote horizontal learning amongst grassroots women's groups and to document and share their strategies and lessons with policy making and development institutions. For more information, please visit the Huairou Commission website, www.huairou.org ORGANISATIONS

GROOTS Kenya P. O. Box 10320-GPO Nairobi, Kenya Tel:+ 254-20-2718977, + 254-20-3873186 Email: [email protected]

Servicios Educativo El Augustino, Peru Calle Renán Elías Olivera 249 El Agustino Lima 10, Perú Tel: +51-1-3270784. Fax: +51-1-3270175 Email: [email protected]

Swayam Shikshan Prayog 101, 1st Floor, Baptista House No. 76 Gaothan Lane No. 1, S.V. Road, Andheri West Mumbai - 400 058, India Tel: +91-22-22907586 Tel/Fax: +91-22-26211476 Email:[email protected]

Mother Centers, Czech Republic MC YMCA Na Porici #12 Praha 1 Czech Republic Tel: +420-2-248-73238 Fax: +420-2-248-75402

Information Centre for the Independent Women’s Forum 119019 Moscow, P/B 230 Tel/Fax: +7-495-366-92-74 E-mail: [email protected]

Best Practices Foundation 1 Palmgrove Road, Victoria Layout Bangalore 560047, India Tel: +91-80-25301861 Email: [email protected]

Huairou Commission 249 Manhattan Ave. Brooklyn, NY 11211 USA Telephone: + 1 718 388 8915/6761 Fax: + 1 718 388 0285

Website: www.huairou.org Email: [email protected]